If you are looking for a completely original cinematic experience, you will definitely want to put Is God Is on your radar. The highly anticipated thriller, directed by Aleshea Harris and based on her award-winning play, is gearing up to be one of the most talked-about releases of the year. The film hit theaters on May 15.
Ahead of the premiere, the cast is already breaking down what audiences can expect from this unique and genre-defying movie.
Before becoming a major motion picture, Is God Is was a highly celebrated American play written by Harris. The stage production premiered Off-Broadway at the Soho Rep theatre in early 2018.
The play was a massive critical success, winning the 2016 Relentless Award, which is the largest cash prize in American theatre. It also swept the 2018 Obie Awards, taking home three trophies, including the award for Playwriting. The stage version was widely praised for its unapologetic and darkly funny approach, famously mixing elements of ancient tragedy, Spaghetti Westerns, hip-hop, and Afropunk.
Now, Harris is stepping behind the camera to make her feature directorial debut, bringing her own brilliant adaptation to cinema audiences.
At its core, Is God Is follows a gripping and deeply intense narrative. As the cast explains in a recent promotional clip, “It is a revenge story, in a dark humor kind of way.”
The cast of ‘IS GOD IS’, including Sterling K. Brown & Janelle Monáe, break down the film's plot in this exclusive video.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 23, 2026
The film follows a revenge story of 2 sisters who go searching for their father who burned them badly in a fire as babies.
In theaters on May 15. pic.twitter.com/8f7dbvfDlZ
The plot centers around two young Black twin sisters (Kara Young and Mallori Johnson) who embark on an intense cross-country journey. Their mission? To avenge the brutal maiming and scarring of their mother (Vivica A. Fox) and themselves. Taking on a monumental task of confronting a dark family history, the sisters are pushed to extraordinary lengths to complete their quest.
However, the film is much more than a standard revenge flick. The cast describes the project as “bold” and “audacious,” noting that a story quite like Is God Is has never truly been done before.
Visually and tonally, the movie leans heavily into its unique atmosphere, with the cast highlighting that the story feels “mythic in this southern gothic way.” The tension and environment are so palpable that viewers will “almost feel the heat coming from this film.”
It is completely genre-defying, blending elements of suspense, dark comedy, and mythic storytelling into an epic package.
To pull off such a complex and charged narrative, the film assembled an incredible lineup of talent. The movie also stars Janelle Monáe, Sterling K. Brown, Erika Alexander, Mykelti Williamson, and Josiah Cross.
With its incredible ensemble cast, masterful blend of dark humor and suspense, and a plot that promises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, Is God Is is shaping up to be a must-watch.
Mark your calendars, Is God Is sets theaters ablaze on May 15!
